1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cages and utility cargo racks for the beds of pickup trucks and trailers. The present invention is particularly directed towards a multipurpose, hinged framed cage and utility rack designed for a variety of uses including a loading ramp, a protective cage for animals and a theft resistant enclosure for articles left in the bed of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of livestock cages and utility racks for pickup trucks have been in use for some time. One principal problem arising with the use of these devices is the absence of security locking features and their limited range of use. Although utility and cargo racks for trucks are useful for hauling long items such as lumber or ladders, and stock racks are useful for transporting livestock, they are generally limited to their specific uses. This is quite obvious from an examination of past art patents.
To examine pertinent past art patents, GAU 312 was considered, and a search was conducted in the following classes and subclasses: 119/82, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17; 296/100, 10, 106, 120A; and 180/289. In relationship to our invention, the following patents were noted as being most pertinent: 2,043,858; 2,909,387; 3,428,359; 3,456,977; 3,923,334; 3,930,680; 3,989,148; 4,284,303; and 4,668,002.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,858 teaches a cover far a truck that covers all open areas including the top. The top is shown to pivot open in the FIG. 3 illustration.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,680 teaches a truck with mesh panels that enclose the back area of the truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,148 teaches mesh sides for a pickup in which one side panel can be used as a ramp.
The other patents are cited to show what is representative in the art.
Most of the cage-like covers shown for use on the bed of a pickup truck or a trailer were either too low profile for animal use or if large enough, required considerable superstructure or solid backing limiting usefulness of the caging and detracting from structural appearance.
When using a cage and utility covering for a pickup truck bed, the shaping of the support members and the cage frame is a primary factor if multiple use of the cage sections is to be adequately accomplished. For example, using a unreinforced side panel as a drive up ramp as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,148 provides a ramping member ok but on a very unsubstantial support. To load a small tractor would require additional supports. A machine of any useful size and power would bend the supports and would probably be large enough so it wouldn't fit in the cage area as illustrated.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,858 illustrates a side cage structure which pivots open horizontally, the invention does not use cage frame shape for any other utility, and the cage sides hang freely down and must be hooked to prevent swinging.
A complete cage frame for the back of a large truck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,680. For security, a solidly retained frame of this nature is criterion for the purpose. For versatility, a light weight, easily mounted and unmounted cage structure is far better for use on a pickup truck bed.
All of the cages shown for pickup truck bed or trailer use either had short horizontal panels or had an unnecessary vertical brace half way along the panel. To prevent possibly head injury to any animals being transported inside our cage, we have avoided vertical supports except at the very ends of the cage structure. None of the devices illustrated in past art patents seen used any kind of cage shaping to provide a multiple of uses for the side and top panels nor were any structural provisions made for easy assembling and mounting or for disassembly for transporting or storage.
As will be shown further in the specification which follows, our invention not only overcomes major disadvantages seen in all patent disclosures of pertinent truck bed caging devices but utilizes the cage structure in new and unique ways.